Aliit ori'shya tal'din
by I-got-99-star-wars-books
Summary: AU. Darman has dreams about Etain's death and Niner comforts him. But Darman feels something...
1. Dreams

**Disclaimers: i do not own anything. Star Wars belongs to Disney. Republic Commando belongs to Karen Traviss. **

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><p><em>She was so close to him.<em>

_They could almost touch._

_And then, a lightsaber swung and she was gone._

_Along with all his hopes and dreams._

_Forever._

"_NO! Etain! NO! Not my girl, NOT MY GIRL!" He screamed, but it was too late. She was gone. He couldn't even see her body-_

**Imperial Army Barracks, 00: 32 Coruscant Time**

"Darman! Wake up!" He heard Niner yell and try to wake Darman up.

Darman looked up and noticed two things. One, the moon was still up, so he couldn't have been asleep for long, and two, he was drenched in sweat.

"Wh-what happened?" He asked

"You were screaming in your sleep" Niner said. "Something about…your girl?"

"My girl? Oh…" he said, and froze as he remembered his dream, and a tear spilled down his face. "Niner, I, I relived it all. Everything. I couldn't stop replaying the scene on Shinarcan. It was like losing her all over again. It…it was horrible."

Niner's face softened a little. "Oh…I'm sorry, Dar. I'm so sorry. Do you want to talk about it?"

"NO! Just leave me alone! Everyone just LEAVE ME ALONE!" He yelled. Niner looked hurt.

"Dar, I'm sor-"He began, but Darman cut him off.

"No, it's me who should be apologizing. I'm sorry Niner, I don't know what came over me. I'm just…so frustrated," Darman ran his hands through his hair, a habit he had picked up from Skirata. He looked up at Niner with tears running down his face. "It's-it's not fair. Why was my wife the one who was killed? Why was my life the one torn apart? It's just not fair."

"I know, Dar. It isn't fair. But…never mind." Niner said, his voice trailing off, sounding apprehensive, as if he was about to say something that might upset Darman, but thought better of it.

Darman looked up with an inquiring look on his face and gestured for Niner to continue.

"Well…" Niner started awkwardly, "Dar, what about Kad? He needs his father. And he's, well, he's the only part of Etain you have."

Darman paused, and after a long moment he said in a defeated tone "I know. It kills me not to be with him. I love that boy. I really do. But…how can I tell him that I could save worlds and senators for a Republic that treated me like a slave, but I couldn't save the woman who gave me a life…and a son?"

"I don't know-"Niner began, but Darman cut him off once again

"Niner, hold on. I just felt something. Etain's consciousness in the Force. Like she reached out to me." Darman said without a look on his face like a man who had just been given a septillion credits. "She's out there, Niner. She's alive."

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><p><em>AN: Pretty short but i hope you liked it. Please tell me what you thought._


	2. Along came a Twi'lek

Niner looked at him with a blank expression, as if he wanted to believe him but didn't want to get his hopes up. "What?"

"I know, what you're going to say, Niner. But I felt her reach out. Just like she did on the assault ship all those years ago. "Darman said looking wistful, "Although…it _was_ different…like she was confused, like she didn't know who she was. But it was her. I know that feeling."

"But Dar…she died. You were there." Niner said tentatively, not wanting to provoke Darman into another rage.

"I know, Niner. But, did we actually see her die? I saw the lightsaber swing, but I never actually saw it hit her. She was just gone." Darman said, closing his eyes and trying to remember that day.

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><p><strong>Shinarcan Bridge, Coruscant, 2 hours later <strong>

Darman stood, overlooking the water, trying to remember exactly what happened that day. It flashed through his mind, but every time, all he could see was a flash.

And then, he realized something. He had heard a vague sound from the water, something that sounded like a splash of someone hitting the water.

"That's it!" He yelled.

Niner, who was standing a few meters away, started and said, "What's it? Did you remember something?"

"Yes! There was a splash from the water, like someone hitting it!" Darman said, looking excited.

"Well then, why don't we go and have a look at the sewers over there" Niner said, pointing to a sewer opening, near the bridge, "that's where anything that went in the river would've ended up."

"Okay, then let's go" Darman said, looking nervous and apprehensive, as if he didn't know what to expect.

They found the sewers mostly empty, except for a man cleaning out the filth.

"Sir, I am an Imperial Commando of the Imperial Army." Darman said, cutting to the chase. " Answer me truthfully, or there will be consequences."

"Y-yes sir," the man said nervously, "whatever you need."

"Have there been any unusual people down here in the last week?" Darman asked

"Any unusuals? Hmm I don't-wait! There was some one strange down here. A Twi'lek, with beige skin, pretty strange looking. He said he was looking for someone. A girl, about twenty-two, red hair, said she worked for him or some nonsense. He left a little while ago, though." The man said.

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><p><strong>Shinarcan Bridge, seven days earlier<strong>

Etain saw the lightsaber swing, a blinding flash of light coming toward her, and then she felt herself flying backwards.

She landed with a disorienting crash in the water, and her head slammed into a rock. Just before she blacked out she heard Darman screaming for her and thought, _soon, Riduur, we will be together. I promise. _

Then everything went black.

There was a piercing light shining through her eyes. She opened them and realized she was sitting on a sidewalk, looking directly at a sewer light.

_Why am I here? _She thought.

"Hello, Etain." Said a deep voice.

She looked around and saw a Twi'lek standing behind her.

"Who are you? Wait…who am I?" She said in a horrified tone, she hadn't even realized that she didn't remember anything.

"I am Bib Fortuna." He said in a leathery, mischievous voice. "And you are Etain Tur-Mukan, a dancer at the palace of the might Jabba the Hutt."

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><p><em>AN: Sorry for how short it is :P Please R&R and tell me if you like it! _


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